Female social dominance in spotted hyenas: “Stronger together”

Among spotted hyenas, females dominate over males in a group. Until now, this dominance had been explained by the fact that females are heavier and more aggressive than males. However, a study carried out by researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, which involved a CNRS researcher1 , now shows that female dominance is based on stronger social support from the group than that for males. The latter are in fact more likely to leave their natal clan and join another clan in which they have no link with the individuals that comprise it.

For this study, the researchers analyzed 4,133 conflictual interactions involving nearly 750 different hyenas. Using well-known behavioral schemas and kinship relationships, they developed an algorithm to estimate the social support for each individual. The results show that the dominance of one sex over the other is not necessarily a direct consequence of sex or physical strength, but may be shaped by the social environment. This study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution on November 19, 2018, improves our current knowledge of the factors that influence the hierarchical relationships in a group of mammals.

• 1Institut des sciences de l’évolution de Montpellier (CNRS/Université de Montpellier/IRD/EPHE).